In a revealing interview with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, a Sacramento Kings insider provided insights into the decision-making process that led to the firing of head coach Mike Brown. The Kings initially explored smaller changes to shake things up before ultimately deciding on such a drastic measure.
The Kings, who started the season with a disappointing 0-5 record, initially considered making smaller adjustments to try to turn things around. According to the insider, the organization explored various options, including potential trades and lineup changes, in an effort to improve the team’s performance without resorting to firing Brown.
Despite these efforts, the Kings continued to struggle, and frustrations within the organization grew. The team’s management, including General Manager Monte McNair, associate GM Wes Wilcox, team president Matina Kolokotronis, and governor Vivek Ranadive, held several meetings to discuss the team’s direction. Ultimately, they concluded that more drastic action was necessary. The insider revealed that the decision to fire Brown was not made lightly.
“Nobody wanted to fire Mike,” the insider said. “He’s a good coach. People here really care about him. Until the very last moment, we were trying to make it work.”
However, the continued struggles and lack of improvement led the Kings to make the difficult decision to part ways with Brown.
The firing of Brown has drawn widespread criticism across the league. NBA coaches like Michael Malone and Steve Kerr expressed surprise at the Kings’ drastic move. Brown, who compiled a 107-88 record with the Kings and helped the team end their historic 16-season playoff drought, was reportedly informed of his dismissal while on his way to join the team for their trip to Los Angeles.
